Flying-boat



H; KLECKLEII.

FLYING BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED III/m25, Isls.

1 ,IBS-, Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ATTORNEY H. KLECKLER.

FLYING BOAT.

APPLICATION man MAR. 25, 191s."

1,336,634, Patented Apr.13,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INvrsN-rora HcN RY KLncKLer..

H. KLECKLER.

FLYING BOAT. APPLICATION msn MAR. 25. 191s.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

3 SHEETSTSHEET 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

HENRY KLECKLEB', 0F GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO CURTISS AEROPLANE l MOTOR CORPORATION, -A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FLYING-BOAT.

the former the present invention is charac-A terized by a single spar or Outriggerl rearwardly extending from the hull at or near its amidships section, to the empennage. This spar reinforces and strengthens the tail structure of the hull, which is comparatively light, takes up the inertia of the empennage in landing, and carries the major portion of the lift load of the tail unit or empennage under certain conditions of flight. The invention is further characterized by an im'- proved and somewhat different type of en-v gine mounting. Instead of the conventional V-support a substantial M-support is provided. The upwardly converging legs of the M-support are fastened to the respective engine bed'beams by suitable fittings common to the adjacent struts. This M-brace or support together with a forwardly and downwardly inclined post brace take up not only the inertia stress in landing but the thrust eifort of the power plant while the machine is in Bight. The power plant is of the single unit type and consists of a highpowered motor, afuel supply system (including lubricant tanks) a radiator and propeller. The radiator is mounted at the forward end of the engine-bed and the propeller (of the pusher type) at the opposite end thereof. The general arrangement of the various elements of the power plant and Ithe relative location of these elements with respect to the supporting surfaces and en' gine bed constitute further features of novelty which will be hereinafter more fully explained. v

Of 'he drawings, wherein like' characters of referencedesignate like or corresponding parts Figure l is a side elevation of `the ma! chine;

Fig- 2 is@ top plas View;

Y Specication of Letters Ilatent. Ptented Apu 13, 192i@ Application lded MarchY 25, 1918.` Serial No. 224,541. A`

propeller 18 and ailerons 19. That portionof the hull 10 to the rear of the step 12 constitutes the after body as'distinguished from the fore body. This after body or tail is lighter per unit of length than the fore body and is consequently weaker. As the landing and hydroplaning stresses are borne almost entirely by the fore body of the hull such a construction is permissible. It vis essential however that adequate strength be provided at the tail end of the hull to carry the stresses set up in the empennage. The empennage, comprises the usual vertical rudder 20, elevator flaps 21, vertical stabilizer `22 and horizontal stabilizer 23. In view of .the elevated position of the motor 17 the horizontal stabilizer 23 and elevator fiaps 21, which are in direct rearward continuation of said stabilizer, are spaced vertically some distance above the tail end of the hull. Being thus. spaced it is necessar that some means .be provided for carrying the lift and other stresses into the hull, preferably at ornear its 'amidships section. The stabilizer 23 being of the lifting type the lift load imposed upon it under certain conditions in Hight is oft times large and it is to carry this load into the hulll that the spar or Outrigger 24 is provided. It extends diagonally forwardly and downwardly from the leading edge of the stabilizer in the longitudinal vertical plane of the fore and aft axis of the hull for connection at its for- 'ward endrto'the rear wing beam 25 of the vover a wider area of the hull bottom. The

spar, during flight of the aeroplane, not only braces the tail unit but, as before intimated,

takes up the entire inertia stress set up by rudder as well is increased'and the desired lift of the fin 23 assured.

Between the supporting surfaces. 15 and 16 and in the longitudinal vertical plane of the fore and aft axis of the craft the motor 17 is located. It is supported in place by engine vbed beams 26 arranged in parallelism. The engine bed beams arein turn supported by substantially M-braces or supports 27 founded uponthe respective wing beams of the lower wing.' The forward M-brace is inclined slightly rearwardly from the vertical plane to engage the beams 26 at points directly beneath the forward end'of the The M-brace 27 is more nearly vertical and likewise engages the` motor crank ca se.

beams 26 at points near the rear end of the motor crank case. The center legs of the M-braces and the outer legs of the M-braces are brazed or welded together at their upper ends to fittings 28 of substantially U-form which embrace the respective wing beams at the points mentioned. In other words, .one socket is provided for two legs of each brace. In addition to the forward M-brace 27 which takes up some slight portion ofthe Linertia stress of the motor mass and the thrust effort of the propeller there is provided a` forward diagonal post brace 29. At. its forward lower end it is carried into the fore body of the hull and anchored by any suitable means to the hull bottom. At its rear upper end it is equipped witha Y-fitting 30, the diverging legs of which extend tothe respective engine bed beams where they are fastened as at'31 at points slightly removed from the points of attachment of the forward M-brace 27. A suitable socket 32 is provided for attaching the post brace 29 to the Y. The function of the post brace' is to carry the thrust effort of the propeller and the 'inertia stress of the motor mass into the fore body of the hull where it is distributed over the hydroplaning area of the hull bottom.

Inverted V-braces or struts 33 interconnect the engined bed beams with the upper supporting surface 15. They are suitably spaced fore and aft to accommodate the motor 17, and inthe embodiment disclosed are sli htly out of vertical alinement with ,the M- races 27. Both of them are slightly forwardly inclined from the engine bed for attachment with the wingbeams 34 Of the -twice the strength and may upper wing. By thus inclining them to be vertical they are caused to'take up -a small with the M-braces in order that the motor' ma be accommodated between them.

Xt the extreme forward end of the en-V gine bed a radiator bracket 35 is provided. Its construction issuch `that the beams 26 are cross-braced and the radiator supported above them rather than at a forward point. Lugs 36 formed upon the bracket overlap the respective engine bed beams and with that portion of the bracket arranged between theL beamsl they constitute a rigid beam connection and brace. designated as 37 is supported upon the bracket and its size is ,such that the cap 38 islet through the nose end of the upper supporting surface 'as illustrated in Figs. v3 and 4. It is` thus conveniently situated and partly inclosed within the confines of the upper wing.

A streamline gravity fuel feed tank 39 is mounted upon (the upper supporting surface 15 directly above the motor. It is 'of substantially streamline form except for its sump 40. The sump however is let into the upper supporting surfacel where it is removed from the line of air rush to minimize head resistance in flight.'v The depth of the sump is such that its connection 41 with the feed line (not shown) to the motor extends beneath the under surface of the ring.

In addition to the gravity fuel feed tank 39 smaller tanks 42 are provided. :These tanks contain lubricant and are disposed symmetrically at opposite sides of the. engine bed for attachment with its respective beams by straps 43 and brackets 44. The straps embrace vthe tanks 42 and the brackets contact the beams. The tanks 42 The radiator are also of substantially streamline form.

The provision of M-braces beneath the engine bed is desirable in view of the fact that the weight of the motor Amass is distributed over a wider area of the hull and at points best designed to` carry it. The diverging legs of the Mbraces engage'the respective wing beams of the lower wing at points in substantiall the vertical plane of the hull sides and t e converging legs at points substantially in the vertical plane of the fore and aft axis of the hull, z'. e., its

keel line which is strongest.'Y Their connec.

tion with the wing beams issuch that the vibrational strains of the motor will not tend to loosen or weaken them. In other words the M-braces support the single centrally located engine bed so that 1t is of support twice lao - versely thereof, an empennage, and a brace.

various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from' the spirit or 'scope thereof, and I aim in the appended claims to cover all suchmodifications and changes.

vWhat is claimed is.;

l. Anv airplane comprising a-4 body, an aerial supporting surface arranged transfor the empennage extended at its forward end into the body at or near the point of intersection of the supporting surface.

2. An airplane comprising a body, an aerial supporting surface arranged transversely thereof, a beam incorporatedin the supporting surface and extended into the body, an empennage, and a brace for the empennage extended at its forward end into the body for connection with the beam.

3; An airplane comprising a body, superposed aerial4 supporting surfaces arranged transversely thereof, a beam incorporated in the lower supporting surface and extended through the body, an empennage, and a brace for the empennage extended at its forward end into the body for connection with the beam.

4. In an airplane, the combination, of a body, an aerial supporting surface arranged transversely thereof, a power plant including a pusher propeller .having an axis of rotation in vertical alinement with the fore and aft axis of the body, an empennage mounted at the rear end of the body, and a brace of the empennage forwardly and downwardly inclined for connection with the supporting surface, the brace at its extreme forward end lying directly beneath the propeller. I l

5. In an airplane, the combination, of a body, superposed aerial supporting surfaces arranged transversely thereof, a beam incorporated in the lower supporting surface and extended through the body, an empennage including' a horizontal stabilizer, the empennage being mounted at the rear end of the body, a power plant including a pusher propeller having an axis of rotation in vertical alinement with the fe and aft axis of the body and a brace for the empennage forwardly A and downwardly inclined for connecting with the beam, the brace at its forward end being extended into the body at a point directly beneath the propeller.

'In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

' HENRY IQECKLER. 

